If your family is anything like mine, there’s a lot of pressure this Thanksgiving to arrive at the family gathering with a dish that will impress. Now that I’m in culinary school, my family expects me to bring something that’ll really delight their palates. But what many of them don’t realize is that there just isn’t enough hours in a culinary student’s schedule (especially for one that works multiple jobs in addition to school) to dedicate the time, energy and creativity to prepare a dish that won’t get Chopped. There may be no shortcuts in a professional kitchen, but instead of an elaborate turkey or side, I decided to develop a recipe for a special elixir that’s still sure to please (and makes a great low cost hostess gift!).

My homemade Irish Cream recipe has been in the works for years—about a decade ago, I was bartending at this tiny craft beer bar on the north shore of Long Island and a regular customer of mine from Ireland brought in a bottle of her Homemade Bailey’s as a gift to me around the holidays. It was a kind gesture, but it was abysmal—in fact, it was undrinkable. It was basically just whiskey and cream—and if that doesn’t make your stomach curdle, then looking at the separated mixture would. But, it was the effort and thought that stood out to me most, and it got me thinking about creating my own version that wouldn’t curdle and would at the very least be drinkable and at the very most, something my friends and family would look forward to receiving and drinking each year.

My first few attempts were admittedly too strong, unbalanced and too thin. But that’s why recipe testing exists. I like to approach it like a science experiment, and my working hypothesis was that I could create a version of Bailey’s that would be well-balanced, thick but not too thick and would have a shelf life of at least 30 days. I set out to prove a lot and in the process developed my own method for recipe testing.

Step 1: Establish Flavor

I picked up a bottle of store bought Bailey’s and had a taste (ok, many tastes), and noted the flavors present—its creamy, slightly nutty, chocolatey sweet, boozy with a hint of coffee. Now, what ingredients can I use that will achieve those flavors?

Step 2: Establish Texture

Bailey’s has a viscous texture on the thicker side, but not quite a milkshake. What can I use to thicken cream without whipping it? Sweetened-condensed milk! Now, which whiskey is going to blend the best?

Step 3: Combine Flavor Elements to Preserve Texture

This is the tedious part of trial and error and recording each measurement for each batch. But the real fun part is taste-testing each batch to lock in the best ratio.

Step 4: Test Shelf Life

This is a little annoying because you’re intentionally ruining a perfectly fine batch, but it’s worth it because you wouldn’t want to give a gift to a loved one that is spoiled or will potentially spoil quickly. For this, I left three bottles in the fridge for varying amounts of time, in different containers. One was a mason jar, one was a recycled wine bottle with a screw cap and one was a recycled wine bottle with a reused cork. The corked bottle spoiled in 2 weeks, the screw cap wine bottle spoiled in 5 weeks and the mason jar kept for a whopping two and a half months—but I recommend setting the expiry date in conjunction with the expiration date of the cream used, although the alcohol does help preserve it longer. Better safe than sorry.

Step 5: Lock in the Recipe

It’s so easy to fall into the cyclical trap of the retesting and re-tasting. Once you have something you’re happy with—write it down, stick to it and enjoy it!

Homemade Irish Cream

Note this recipe is for ages 21+, please drink responsibly!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup heavy cream

1 14-ounce can sweetened-condensed milk

1 ⅔ cups Irish Whiskey (I prefer Tullamore Dew)

3 T dark chocolate syrup

1 t vanilla extra

¼ t almond extract

1 t instant coffee granules

PROCEDURE

Combine all ingredients in blender.

Blend 1 minute and 30 seconds.

Enjoy immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 30 days. Shake well before serving.

Generally, I recycle screw cap wine bottles to store the Irish Cream. Tie a bow on it with a tag and personal message and voila, you’ve just made a beautiful and delicious holiday gift.

I hope this recipe helps you out in a time crunch this holiday season!

About Stefanie Baum

Stefanie Baum spent the better part of the past decade as a creative manager working on social media marketing and advertising campaigns for some of the biggest brands in the world like Google, Cheerios, Pepsi and Twizzlers. As exciting as that was, she always wanted to do something that directly made people happy and for her, that’s cooking. She’s currently enrolled in the Professional Culinary Arts Program and works as culinary assistant to Nikki Dinki, author of Meat on the Side and Food Network Star contestant, recipe testing and producing social media content.

The culinary industry is fast-paced and constantly growing, which is why our Professional Culinary Arts curriculum continues to evolve, preparing students for today’s kitchens and culinary scene. Whether it’s harnessing the wave of culinary technology—with lessons on sous-vide, low-temperature cooking, hydrocolloids and more—or connecting your culinary techniques to the beginning of the food chain—embracing sustainability and seasonality through our Farm-to-Table extension, students learn the techniques that today’s chefs need to know.

That is why we were so excited to launch a new addition to Level 4 of our Professional Culinary Arts program earlier this year—The Mystery Basket Challenge! On the final day of their 400 hours at ICC, and prior to going on their externships, students are given 4 secret ingredients and are tasked with creating an original dish from scratch. In only 2 hours, they’ll be asked to conceptualize, plan, cook, plate and present their dish to a panel of judges. The challenge allows student’s to flex their creative muscles and combine the culinary and plating techniques learned with the skills they’ve developed for consistency in flavor, timing and presentation.

Leland Clark, Vice President of Student Affairs, remarked that the “Mystery Basket Challenge was designed as a culmination of students’ four levels of progressively complex cooking, and as an exhilarating final activity before they begin their professional externships. We are always excited to see the amazing creativity and skill on display in each group!” With a few classes now having completed the Mystery Basket Challenge, we’ve seen great use of the secret ingredients in imaginative applications like a savory brittle, scallion and kale pancakes and even a pork pho with handmade noodles!

Plus, with a very generous donation from Crooked Brook and the Mohawk Valley Trading Company, 1st and 2nd place winners walk away with prizes—like a beautifully crafted apron or a giant jar of organic maple syrup—after the challenge. Crooked Brook has designed and manufactured chef coats and aprons for the world’s most distinguished and discerning chefs since 1989. The Mohawk Valley Trading Company offers the highest quality organic, unprocessed natural products they can produce such as maple syrup, maple sugar, raw honey and beeswax candles.

Below, check out some of the images from our recent Mystery Basket Challenges and get inspired for your future challenge in Level 4 of the Professional Culinary Arts program!

This year, Hester Farabee, a Professional Pastry Arts student, took home the gold at ICC’s Seventh Annual Cookie Games. At the competition this August, three winners from previous Cookie Games stopped by their alma matter to cheer on this year’s competitors and taste their cookie creations! We caught up with them—and one alum, who now lives in Singapore—to see what they’ve been up to since bringing home Cookie Games glory.

2014

Vianna Sinnan | Professional Pastry Arts ’15

Have you ever made your winning cookie recipe again? And if so, in what capacity?

I have made my cookie many times since the competition! Part of my holiday gifting tradition has come to include a box or bag of the cookies for family and friends.

What is your fondest memory about your experience participating in the Cookies Games?

My fondest memory of the competition was hearing my name called out as the fan favorite. I couldn’t believe it, especially since I was still in Level One of the Professional Pastry Arts program and had seen how talented the other contestants were over the course of the two days.

2015

Savita Bhat | Professional Pastry Arts ’16

Currently, I work in New York City at Simon & The Whale on the pastry team! Our Head Baker and Pastry Chef is also an ICC grad, Zoë Kanan.

Have you ever made your winning cookie recipe again? And if so, in what capacity?

I’ve definitely made my cookie recipe again. Actually the same year I did the cookie games, I entered my recipe a the WNYC Holiday Cookie round up and it was selected as one of the featured recipes by Melissa Clark! I try to make it around the holidays every year—it’s a pretty good Christmas cookie.

What is your fondest memory about your experience participating in the Cookies Games?

My fondest memory about my experience participating in the Cookie Games was definitely brainstorming and baking with my pastry school friends who were also participating. It was pretty chaotic, but so fun and such a great moment to look back on!

Have you ever made your winning cookie recipe again? And if so, in what capacity?

I made the cookies again on one of my last days at my externship at Park Avenue!

What is your fondest memory about your experience participating in the Cookies Games?

Fondest memory is probably working with my partner, Maddie! So great to get together with her again and work on a project like this because by that time we had been out on our externships. It was nice spending time with her again within the walls of ICC.

The Cookie Games are coming! In a little over a month, Professional Pastry AND Culinary Arts students will bake their hearts out to become the 7th annual Cookie Games winner. In addition to taking home some sweet prizes, the winner will receive bragging rights for their respective department, which some may say is better than the Kenwood mixer they’ll take home!

But, what goes into a winning cookie recipe? Each year, our Director of Pastry Operations, and creator of the Cookie Games competition, Chef Jansen Chan gets asked this burning questions from hopeful contestants. So, we sat down with Chef Jansen to pick his brain on creating a stellar recipe sure to win!

Check out his 5 tips below, and learn more about the 2019 Cookie Games here.

1. Texture is Key

Decide on the type of cookie texture(s) that you want to achieve. Will it be chewy, like a classic chocolate chip, or more of a shortbread or bar cookie? Find a plain recipe that matches those styles, and use it to your advantage to build your unique recipe and flavors.

2. Concept Development

Decide on the concept. Are you inspired by a country? Will it incorporate techniques, ingredients and/or flavors from that culture? These are all questions that you should be asking yourself when developing your concept.

3. Flavors, Obviously!

At the end of the day, your cookies has to taste good! Our cookie games contestants will be pulling inspiration from a country of origin, and each has their own unique cuisine to pull from. Ask yourself, will the cookies be a blend of flavors or stand behind one signature taste?

4. Consider Add-ins

Could your cookie become more interesting with the inclusion of different textures or ingredients? But beware—this could make or break your cookie!

5. Make It Look Good

Desserts often rely on their appearance (it’s true, we eat with our eyes!), so consider the final presentation of the cookie: the size, the way it’s eaten and its overall appearance.

Looking for more Cookie Games inspiration to get you in the kitchen? Check out this article featuring past winning recipes here.

Did you know that French butter is often considered best for baking because of its low water content, resulting in a better texture for baking? Beurremont butter, a traditional French butter, is one of the only butters made in the USA that is high in butterfat like it’s French counterpart. Beurremont is made without aging the cream or adding cultures to it, giving it a sweet flavor. It’s also low in moisture, resulting in a rich creamy profile that’s perfect for cooking and baking. So perfect, Team USA uses it as their official butter in the Bocuse d’Or Competition—notoriously the most challenging cooking competition in the world.

Great for decadent recipes, or when you need an extra hint of buttery flavor, it works especially well in our Director of Pastry Operations’, Chef Jansen Chan’s, Sour Cream Shortbread recipe! As he puts it, “Buerremont Butter is a great brand to incorporate in many types of recipes; it has a complex culture flavor balanced with a rich butterfat taste.”

With a serrated knife, and while the shortbread is still warm, cut into two-inch square pieces.

Allow to cool and enjoy!

With Halloween just around the corner, Associate Director of Pastry, Chef Jürgen David, showed us how to create the easiest caramel and the spookiest Halloween decorations.

For this pro tip, we chose a soft caramel directly from our Professional Pastry Arts curriculum. It’s a versatile recipe for a simple caramel, and it only takes a few ingredients to use this in so many different ways. Here, we’ve taken a little fondant and a lot of imagination to turn a quick technique into a delicious and fun treat!

Soft Caramel

Ingredients For the Caramel

400 grams granulated sugar

480 milliliters heavy cream

60 grams butter

90 grams honey

1 vanilla bean

Ingredients For the Decorations

Pretzel rods

Fondant

White or Milk chocolate

Candy eyeballs

Almonds

Procedure

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and put on high heat.

Cook the mixture to 122º C.

Strain the mixture onto a parchment or Silpat lined sheet pan.

Allow the caramel to cool completely.

Cut into strips.

Recipe Notes

Be sure to continuously stir the caramel while it is on the stove so it does not burn.

Do not put caramel into the fridge to cool. The consistency will change and it will ruin the caramel.

For the recipe you will need: a pot, parchment paper or a Silpat, a strainer, a thermometer, a rolling pin, and a wooden spoon.

How To Make The Caramel and Decorations

1. Gather ingredients and measure into separate bowls or directly into the pot.

2. Turn the stove on to medium-high heat, and stir the caramel for 15 minutes, or until it reaches 122°C.

3. Once the caramel has reached the proper temperature, strain it onto parchment paper or a rubber mat (we used Silpat)

Note: this is where you want to let the caramel cool. Do not put it into the fridge, as the caramel texture and consistency will change, and it will be ruined.

4. Cut the caramel into strips, and begin to wrap the caramel around the pretzel rods.

5. Roll out your favorite fondant, and begin to decorate over the caramel wrapped pretzel rods. Use a piping bag for precise chocolate details, like you see in the pumpkin. The fingernail was created using a sliced almond!

The ICC library is continuously growing and evolving. In this new column, we will highlight a few favorites from our new acquisitions shelf.

Sushi Lovers alert! If you loved the documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi then you are already familiar with Jiro Ono, the brilliant and delicate sushi craftsman. In Sushi Chef Sukiyabashi Jiro by Shinzo Satomi, the reader is welcomed into his kitchen. First published in Japan in 1997, it is only now available in English from translator Rei Perovic. With beautiful color photos as well as maps and diagrams, it is no stretch to call this book a sushi bible. Our own Chef Jeffery Moon loved it and called it the best sushi book he has seen. Satomi digs deeper that simple instruction during his interviews with Jiro providing an insight into his style and philosophy. This book is a must read for aspiring chefs, seafood lovers and Japanese food enthusiasts.

As the weather starts to turn, we begin craving comfort foods that will fill the house with fragrance and cure an impending cold. The recipes in Small Victories by Julia Turshen fit the bill. Julia’s philosophy is the simpler the better and to grow as a cook and fund success in the kitchen, we must celebrate the small victories – each little step along the way. While certainly geared toward the home cook, culinary students can take away from this an open minded, expansive approach to recipes. For each included in the book, Julia provides what she calls “Spin-Offs” or variations that completely change the recipe or utilize the ingredients in a whole new way. So whether you are craving Snow-Day Udon Soup or Chicken + Pea Skillet Pie you will learn several other recipes right along with it. Recommended for simple go-to comfort recipes or novice cooks.

Chef Jose Pizarro owns three Spanish restaurants in London, but instead of creating a book dedicated to one of them, he chose to highlight the cuisine from his favorite city, San Sebastian. The Basque Book by Jose Pizarro is a beautiful colorful celebration of the famed Spanish city and the whole Basque region. All the recipes are labeled either “Pintxos” or “At the Table” – meaning small plates or main dishes. However, says Jose “Sometimes I just think anything goes.” Dive in for his take on classics such as tortilla and empanada as well as new favorites like Swiss chard stew or chestnut flan. An excellent pick for photography lovers, Spanish food fanatics and fine dining fans.

We have these and many more new books available for check out now in the library. Follow us on Instagram for the most current updates @intlcullibrary

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, whisking occasionally. As the mixture begins to boil, continue stirring, until the butter is lightly browned and has a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately and add cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Allow to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in another bowl, stir together the flours, powdered sugar, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and pumpkin together until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly.

Pour about 1/3 of the warm browned butter into the mixture and whisk, until smooth. Repeat twice more, adding 1/3 of the butter each time.

Allow mixture to rest and cool in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Divide the batter into greased cupcake pans.

Top with pumpkin seeds and dust with powdered sugar.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes before unmolding.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Whip the egg yolks and sugar in an electric mixer on high speed until thick. Reduce to low speed and add the water. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Again, whip on high speed until thick. Reduce to low speed and add the dry ingredients.

Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold them into the batter. Spread the batter onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet, measuring approximately 11 by 16 inches with 1 inch sides.

Bake the cake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Remove the cake from the pan by running a knife around the inside edge of the pan. Invert the pan on the work surface and carefully peel off the parchment paper.

Zabaglione Cream

8 large egg yolks

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup Marsala

Pinch salt

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, Marsala, and salt in a stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water, making sure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl. Whisk continually until thick like mayonnaise, about 3 minutes. Place the bowl over an ice bath and cool to room temperature. Whip the cream to soft peaks. Fold the cream into the Marsala mixture. Refrigerate.

To assemble the trifle:

1 1/2 cups strong coffee, room temperature

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Cut the cake into quarters. Cut each quarter in half horizontally.

Spread about 1 cup of zabaglione cream in the bottom of a 2 1/2 quart bowl. Cut pieces of cake to fit in a single layer over the cream. Using a pastry brush, brush the cake with about 1/3 cup of the coffee. Repeat layering cream and coffee soaked cake until the cake and zabaglione is used up, finishing with the zabaglione on top. Finely chop the chocolate or grind it in a food processor. Refrigerate the trifle for two hours or overnight before serving.

The cake can be made up to two days before you assemble the trifle. Store it wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature. The zabaglione can be made a day in advance. The zabaglione can be made a day before you serve it.

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